Eight Months Down!

Today's entry makes it official - month-wise, I'm two-thirds of the way finished with my New Year's resolution!

This also marks the last short entry you'll be seeing in a while - as of tomorrow, I'll be slapping 1,000+ words on an entry for the whole month. This is just me getting my laziness out of the way. Heheheh.

Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm going to go ahead and watch The Nightmare Before Christmas before I head in to work. After all, since Target always sets their Halloween stuff right after our Back to School stuff is gone, I might as well get in the mood. =D

Internet-Spammed Legos

So much talking; so little time! Let's get on it!

And yes, the title references the three main topics for tonight's entry.

Downsizing Geo-Political Reality

Sometimes you have to take the good with the bad. Take corporate downsizing, demilitarization or even border reduction for example. Funds get lower due to decreased profits; the ability to defend your country is reduced; your overall governing power looks more and more like a joke. Despite all that, there are silver linings wedged between all those gray clouds - smaller management brings the staff to a more personal level; state funding can be used for better things like education; you have yet to be conquered and driven out out complete power.

However, in some situations the bad is all you'll ever get. Stocks fail to rise to where they once were; armed forces can no longer respond like they once did in an emergency; surrounding rival nations prod your countrymen farther inland. Things start going from bad to worse to God-knows-how-bad, and it's only a matter of time before someone hits their limit and breaks - at which point nobody can guess what could happen next. With enough provocation, even the tiniest group of doves can find themselves becoming blood-thirsty hawks in a blaze of self-perceived glory - all due to metaphorical blindness.

Etheral Pep Talk

"Why are you doing this?"

"Why shouldn't we? What; do you think this is all a sham or something? No - this is real. This is really happening."

"But - !"

"But what? Are you so truly against me? Against this?"

"W-Well, no..."

"Exactly my point. Deep down I know you don't want to stop me. You want me to do this as much as I want to, so why stop me? I mean, it's not like either of us can change the outside world enough to stop me."

"..."

"So... you see where I'm getting at?"

"I... I think so. You, uh... you absolutely sure about this?"

"Yes. I am."

"...o-okay..."

"Just remember this one word: 'LIVE.' Live today so you don't have to live in a tomorrow that may not be."



I slowly nodded in understanding. Confused as I was, it surprisingly made sense...

Burger Fuel

I get the feeling that tonight will be... chaotic. I'm picking up some strange energy, and while it feels all murky and dark, I can see some positive force behind it all. Whether it's telling me that tonight will get worse before it gets better or if everything will be a hodgepodge of emotions... I can't tell. My abilities aren't fully refined yet.

Of course, I don't have any food in my system just yet. Maybe I should get some lunch before I start reading off energy (it does prove to be a bit taxing, really). Maybe a burger - I haven't had one proper in a while.

Time to prepare for work, I guess. *goes off to get a burger*

...Become Something

The night is young. Sort of. Here's a blog entry to start your weekend off right!

Of Nothing...

I honestly have nothing to say of major importance today. I think it's the laziness talking. Regardless, all I know is that tomorrow's entry will be good. That, and I think I have a bit of a proposition you'd enjoy hearing about then.

So, until the 'morrow. *goes to prepare for work*

Across the Studded Border

We spotted something on the border... something we need to investigate muy pronto.

Mind you, we're not talking about the actual U.S./Mexico border... but a fictional one... with fictional soldiers.

Lego time! Yaaaaaay~!

August's Personal Holiday

I've been working on some personal (fun) projects today, and I only realized just now that I had yet to post something today. Heh. Good thing I'm off work today... otherwise this would've been a disaster.

Some of you might have noticed that August's blog entry quality has been... eh, it's been lacking. As it's my birth month, I think I'm allowed to be a bit more lenient with my typing on here.

Guess I'll work on something to present to y'all tomorrow. Until then... *watches Fullmetal Alchemist*

Not Like a G6

A Monday... not one of my favorite days, but still, it's a decent day nonetheless to get things done. Will today finally break the slump of "crap-ass" entries?

You decide. I'll just eat a sandwich while you do. *noms*

Primer

Days have passed. Seasons have changed. People have aged. Yet, there is no quality entry here when y'all were promised one. I can tell you right now that I will have one up tomorrow.

Cheap tactic? Yes. Effective nonetheless? Undoubtedly. Good enough time for a writer like myself to pop something out that fills the palette of my (few) readers? Oh, hell, yes.

Nostalgic Infection

So, what was up with yesterday, you ask? Well, apart from slowly contracting some gnarly virus that decays my body, kills me and reanimates my corpse as a zombie, not much in the realm of boredom has occurred. I've simply been hanging out with friends and what not, having too much fun with them before some of them went off to varying colleges scattered across California.

Also, I blame a very satisfying food coma from eating a lot of sushi.

But what does that have to do with me not posting stuff like I said I would? Well, think of it this way: life happens. I didn't expect to get to be able to hang out with people and have fun for lots of time. No - I was expecting it to be rather short and then I'd crawl off to my little cave and post something duller than this.

With all the days off and time off I've been getting (no thanks to my Target's lack of hours) it's given me time to resocialize and what not with people... to recharge my batteries and just relax. Oh, and it's gotten me to play a lot of random games I haven't touched in a long time. Lotsa fun!





Besides, it's not like I have that many readers yelling at me for not posting something like I said I would. If I do have any, I'm not seeing any proof of that. =P

May 19, 1998

Fever gone but itchy. Hungry and eat doggy food.

Itchy Itchy Scott came. Ugly face so killed him.

Tasty.

Post Not Found

As you recall, I said I'd give you a great entry. As you can plainly see, there is nothing to be found here whatsoever. Trust me, it's here. It's just lost with a bunch of ideas and some crazy projects that I felt would be improperly presented with a mere two hours of free time to compose some written prose on. It sounds like I'm just bluffing and attempting to hide my ass, but it's true - I've been working on some things.

Tomorrow will have something. Guaranteed. You got my promise that I'll give ya' something awesome. Maybe I'll even throw in some crazy geeky cool pictures to compensate for it. =D

*rushes back to work*

A Barbaric Shortage

So yesterday was a fun day and all. Fun friends, fun food, fun fun... it made my 22nd birthday a fun one. To be honest with you, I was going to talk about what happened last night, but I've run out of time. I have work in a few minutes, and I spent most of the day reliving the entertaining world of Diablo II. (Who saw this coming?)

It's been a crazy experience thus far - decided on rolling a Barbarian, which hasn't been doing so well. Then again, I've gained ten levels and have yet to use any of my stat points, so... *shrugs*

Anyway, off I go! I'll show y'all a great entry mañana! Ciao for now!

BIRTHDAY! The Level 22 Achievement

The seven-day countdown (and ridiculous "metaphor" theme, for that matter) officially ends today. Why, you ask?

IT'S MAH BIRFDAY!
(Enough said, really.)

And to further add proof that it's my actual birthday and a cause for celebration, I logged on to World of Warcraft and even unlocked an achievement today just for it being my birthday!

Idea for the title is credited to my friend.
The World of Warcraft achievement generator I used for this can be found here.

Okay, so it's not a real in-game achievement, but hey - it's still just as awesome! I even got many people commenting on my Facebook like the feat of strength said it would!





CURRENT MUSIC:
Arrogant Worms - "The Happy Happy Birthday Song"
C'est Cheese

One of my friends from work played this for me during one of my breaks. He's done this for every birthday of mine he's been around with. Funny song, because it kind of sums up my mood about my birthday.

Don't worry - I'm still happy. Very happy. =D


The Beatles - "Birthday"
The Beatles

Probably the most fitting song from the famed "White Album" for today - I mean, if you don't see why, then you probably don't deserve to read this. *shrugs* I mean, it's painfully obvious, but... okay.



"And on the seventh day God ended his work which he had made; and he rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had made."
- The Bible (King James Version - Genesis 2:2)

Kinda weird for me to quote the Bible, considering that I don't practice religion and could care little for it. (I always thought bibles burned my skin.) Despite this, I found this to be fitting to today - six days of work and not-celebratory relaxation give way to the seventh relaxing day.





'ALLO, EVERYBODY! Welcome to a very special post on The White Knight Chronicles!

Now, in the rare event that you have zero idea as to why this day is so very important, I advise you to pay attention next time. I mean, if the whole entirety of last week wasn't any indicator, I don't know what could be.

Yes, while some may think it's because today's my 22^nd birthday, it's also because this is the first entry I made as a 22-year-old. Yeah. That's totally it. To be honest, however, I can't think of anything to say. I've been having too much fun hanging out with friends, relaxing and not working - all on my BIRFDAY! (Sorry; I'm spamming that too much.)

Well, here's hoping I get something from this year's birthday wish list (*cough* comment and be a fan *wheeze*) from some of y'all. In other words: COMMENT! Become fans! Leave something for me to respond to on "Ask the White Knight" or something so I can post something about it in the event that I have no idea what to post about! I'm going to go back to having fun, so... until the 'morrow!

Sixth Sense: Reliving a Gluttonous Past

Day six! Only a mere set of hours more until the coolest day of the year! (For me, at least.)

(Author's Note: Anyone see the "sixth" metaphor? =D)





CURRENT MUSIC:
The Crystal Method - "Weapons of Mass Distortion"
Legion of Boom

Excellent electronica music usable in a variety of situations, ranging from combat to racing to a montage of preparatory actions.

The way this piece opens up and inspires me to finish this last day with a bang. Mind you, I'm not talking about explosions or sex, but rather a dramatic and triumphant performance that gets me through that final stretch and leaves any opposition bewildered in the dust.


Muse - "Exogenesis: Symphony Part 1 (Overture)"
The Resistance

I've been a bit of a sucker for orchestrated anything. Notably, this would apply to orchestrated video game music played live, but anything is fair game.

Enter "Exogenesis: Symphony Part 1 (Overture)", the antepenultimate track to Muse's most recent album The Resistance. All three parts of the overall "Exogenesis" symphony possess an almost-operatic feel to them. Between Matthew Bellamy's vocals and the combination of both classical and rock instruments, the track makes for a great piece to listen to if you're driving at night in a quiet road.


Ron Wasserman - "Go Go Power Rangers"
Mighty Morphin Power Rangers The Album: A Rock Adventure

Yeah, you're reading that right. Most people who grew up as kids in the '90s know this song and if not, they definitely know the famous riff originating from here. I'm guilty of blaring this from my car very loudly, and to say I've gotten some weird looks from random passerby would be a gross understatement. Makes me wanna randomly yell "IT'S MORPHIN' TIME!" =D



"A man or woman is seldom happy unless he or she is sustaining him or herself and making a contribution to others."
- Zig Ziglar

I find this to be true. My happiness stemming from this year has been the result of somewhat adhering to this quote. Due to me being more self-appreciative and a tad more contributory, I think I've improved my morale.

Could this be why I'm excited for a birthday which technically has no real "importance" in the American mindset?^[1] Probably. *shrugs* Regardless, it's a good thing to be happy.





Hello, readers! Welcome, one and all, to the LAST entry on The White Knight Chronicles that I will be making as a 21-year-old. Like, forever. Once you finish reading this, it will only be a matter of time (hours, really) before I cease to be 21 and instead become 22!

Of course, this is from a technical standpoint - I'm not sure exactly when I was officially born^[2] - but since when have technicalities stopped me from doing anything?

That's right: never. (At least I think it was never. =P)

Anyway, I was originally going to post some meaningful spiel on how I think I improved in the 365 past days I spent officially being 21 as compared to the year prior. I didn't want to type that whole speech-and-a-half out bore the living daylights out of you, so instead of something... let's just say "meaningful," you'll have to deal with something more entertaining. I apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused you.





A Comparison of Then and Now
("Proof" I'm not that much of a greedy son-of-a-bitch. Anymore. I think. *coughs and scratches head*)

For lack of a better thing to post for today, I figured I'd compare my birthday wish list from this year as compared to the one I had on Facebook for last year.

To make things easier (so the lazy bums out there too tired to click this link that takes you to this year's birthday wish list), here's what I want this year:



22^nd Ransom Demands:
(AKA: Josh's Birthday Wish List)

• money (and LOTS of it)
• LOTS more readers (and a good amount of new fans, while I'm at it)
• a vuvuzela (preferably green)
• a camera (preferably one of those Nikon high-zooms)
• Lego Set 7187: Escape from the Dragon's Prison
• Lego Set 9348: Community Minifigure Set
• anything else you can think of that I'd love/enjoy/get a huge kick out of

If you think that was asking for much, then you didn't know me at all back then. I'll admit, I'm a bit materialistic, but I have two counters for that:

1. We all are materialistic at some level. Don't you try and be all sanctimonious with me. (Ever heard of "every man for himself?"^[3])
2. BIRFDAY. Free pass. Nyah. (Oh, and I passed "Go." *collects $200 from the bank*)

Honestly, if you think my demands seem to be a bit on the heavy and pricey side, just take a look at the aforementioned birthday list I slapped on Facebook for last year's birthday:



Whitey's 21st LEGEN- - ...wait for it... -DARY Birthday Wish List of AWESOME
(This title was NOT influenced by Barney Stinson at all. But that guy's awesome. =P)

(NOTE: None of this is in any preferential order. But everything's bolded so that you can see what I want AND so you know that it's of dire importance for me to have. "But everything's bolded, Josh!" you exclaim. "Does that mean you want everything!?" Why, yes. =P)

(NOTE 2: None of this actually HAS to be given to me. If I'm presented with an awesome day where I don't mull down some depressing train of thought, I'm sated (as far as you know?). But gifts are always a nice bonus. =3)

(Author's Note: The previous two notes were on the list on Facebook. Just thought I'd let you know.)


- vuvuzela
Despite the disappointing end of the 2010 FIFA World Cup (I was rooting for Deutschland), one thing will never leave my mind. The sound of the sound that sounds (say that five times fast) like bees buzzing and annoying the hell out of everyone has stuck with me forever.
And now I want to spread the misery to all.^[4]

But seriously, this'd be fun to have. I don't know why, but... it would.


- money
Well, gee, I wonder what I could possibly use with this. BILLS. RENT. Not heroin. Random crap to keep me alive. World of Warcraft. CAR INSURANCE. Gas. Food. Oh, did I say BILLS?


- a new camera
The lens on mine broke for good. Pictures appear fuzzy, it won't zoom - hell, it won't retract when I turn the damn thing off. And if people expect me to be a filmographer for their projects and organizations, how am I supposed to do it without the necessary gear?^[5]


- a Mekgineer's Chopper
IF for some reason you decided to get me one... then wow. Thanks. =D
Send it to my rogue Gefallen (US-Tichondrius ~ Alliance).


- a high-capacity MP3 player (preferably an iPod Classic 5th/6th Gen 60GB+ or something similar)
As venerable as my Creative ZEN Vision:W has been (Finally died after four years in the line of duty. Wow. Godspeed, little guy.), it's slowly fading out. Battery lasts for... possibly an hour TOPS... and that's if it stays on the unit. It's literally falling apart.

As much as I don't want to, I decided that an iPod would probably be the best replacement. Currently, nobody makes any high capacity MP3 players anymore, and iPods seem to be the only ones left in the market that fit my requirements (high capacity, venerable battery life, ease of use). Sure, I'd have to grind against it (what, with it being an Apple product and the fact that I'd be forced to use iTunes...^[6]), but... beggars can't be choosers.


- a winning lottery ticket/scratcher worth over $10,000
...what?


- sushi
Whether it be a trip to a sushi bar or homemade, it'll be amazing. And tasty.


- a vuvuzela
"But wait, Josh," you say; "you already said vuvuzela!"
Why, yes I did. I'm just putting it down twice so that you know I'm dead serious about wanting one. Think of it this way: whoever gets me one will forever be immune from a random vuvuzela drive-by^[7] I might do one random evening... =P


- a PlayStation 3
Valkyria Chronicles. Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots. Super Street Fighter IV Arcade Edition. Katamari Forever. BlazBlue: Continnum Shift.

What did all of those games I just list have in common? If your answer sounded anything like "I'm not a gamer; I don't give a shit," then GET THE FUCK OUT. However, if your answer sounded anything like "They're PS3 games," then a pat on the back for you. But if your answer sounded anything like "Hey, those're pretty cool PS3 games, but why would Whitey want 'em if he doesn't have a PS3? OH... he WANTS one. Maybe I should get him one," then... =D


- any (or all, if you're THAT awesome =P) of the following Figma:

• Lelouch Lamperouge (Code Geass: Lelouch of the Rebellion)
• Kagami Hiiragi (Lucky Star) (either her winter or summer uniform)
• Mikuru Asahina (The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya)
• Aigis (Shin Megami Tensei: Persona 3)
• Kyon (The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya)

On my way to my vacation to San Diego last year I stopped by Little Tokyo (the route I was taking was actually an exit away from where I usually get off, so I figured "What the hell?"). Sadly, no Figma figurines I was looking for. >_<

I've been trying to hunt down the Lucky Star cast for quite some time, but Kagami's my priority. No dice on her, and no dice on anyone else. And now that I learned about Aigis and Lelouch... ooh, even more desire to have more Figma. So if you decide to get me a birthday gift and stop by any (Japanese) store that just so happens to sell Figma, keep an eye out on the ones I mentioned. =)


- a birthday party
I don't think I've had one proper since I was... oh, God, I can't even remember. Yeah, I know I'm being a bit of a selfish glutton here - I've had those little celebrations with friends and what not, and they were great; I'm not gonna lie - but we all turn 21, and there's certain things I don't feel like doing. For instance... *deep breath*

- I DON'T FEEL LIKE SITTING AT HOME AND DOING ABSOLUTELY NOTHING FOR MY 21st BIRTHDAY.
(Sadly, I actually know of someone who recently did that for their 21st. How depressing.)

- I FEEL LIKE BEING WITH MY FRIENDS, GETTING AWESOME FOOD AND HAVING A LEGEND- ...WAIT FOR IT... -DARY TIME.

So, I think we should combat that somehow. Apparently there's people out there with some sinister psychologically-demoralizing^[8] thoughtful ideas that they want to come to fruition... and apparently there's also people out there who just want to get me drunk. Either way, despite the pessimism I have about the matter, I still have this hope that someone's planning something. It'd be nice... =/


- a laser tag all-nighter
Now THIS would be a blast to have. From what I researched, the local laser tag place does a lock-in thing. Requires a minimum of 50 people for the lock-in and it's $20 a pop (making it $1,000+ for those of you too lazy to do the math). Thing is, here's what that $20 gets you:

• unlimited laser tag missions
• unlimited arcade
• unlimited soda
• pizza (one for every two people)

And apparently, if you pay 'em a bit more, they'll allow alcohol on the premises (assuming we'd be responsible and clean up after ourselves). I WANT IN. Hell, this doesn't even have to be a birthday present. This could be the "birthday party" as listed above... or it could be a bunch of people getting together for one night of tactical mayhem (and yes, there will be dramatic battles).


- a random, surprise daytrip to somewhere I'd enjoy
Now this is a fun gamble for you risk-takers. Dragging me to somewhere I'd enjoy? Oh, what fun could be had. Hell, keep it a surprise - if you wanted until the last second when you shove me into the car! (Just don't prod me with sharp objects or gas me unconscious if I initially refuse. That'll be a story to tell to the police... =P)


- some sort of bumper sticker that supports the Alliance
Most gamers I know (or at least the World of Warcraft players) won't even touch anything Alliance-friendly with a ten-foot pole. To those people: I'm sorry, but I'm a proud supporter of the Alliance. Scream "Lok'tar ogar!" all you want, but I will not be fazed (though I have to admit, though... Orcish > Common. =P).

Anyway, this would probably be an easy gift, and I actually wouldn't feel bad if multiple people got me this (I can always throw it on something else, or keep 'em on reserve for a new car or for something I have to slap as mine. I'm pretty sure Hot Topic or Jinx.com has a few. Just FYI.


- anything that supports the Alliance, for that matter
A wallet... a keychain... a cute little gryphon plushie... whatever else is out there... though I don't necessarily need any of it, I do want it. Hehehe. Again, Hot Topic or Jinx.com for gift idea starters.


- a Colt Single Action Army (.45LC)
Everyone celebrates their 21st by grabbing their IDs and making an overconfident trip to the liquor store. I'll do that, too. Except replace "liquor store" with "gun shop" and add a comma and the word "Gunslinger" after my name.


- a Grand Slam from Denny's
Oh, wait. I'm getting one already. WOO FOR FREE BIRTHDAY GRAND SLAM!


- a freshly-made Pizookie
While this could mean a treated-out lunch/dinner to B.J.'s, you can avoid that if you're a good cook (or order one to-go and personally deliver it to me within the hour). White chocolate and macadamia nut is preferred. =D


- a fun, carefree day
Now, should one of you fuck this one up... wow. Seriously, WHO fucks up someone's 21st? Idiots, that's who. Are you an idiot? No; didn't think so. Don't fuck this up. ^^


- the responsibilities of becoming the (un)official Designated Driver for everyone I know
It's already been established that this was gonna happen eventually. We just need all of us at multiple parties. With me there. Totally sober. And you not convulsing all over my car if you're the guy/gal hitching a ride home. =P


- coverage for a full tune-up for my car
I got my oil changed last month, but I think Chari's^[9] in (almost-dire) need of a tune-up. My plan was once I had a decent amount of cash, I'd take her in to the shop, but it's money or nada in today's world, and I only have nada.


- anything else you can think of that I'd like
Heh. I'll leave this one in your (hopefully) capable hands. =P


- better luck
Psh. Like that's likely.


- ...OTHER... ...STUFF...
Like I'd tell you. Are you THAT desperate?^[10]



...see? I've improved over the past year! (Somewhat, yes, but let's not talk about partial credit and where the lines blur.) My list isn't as demanding as it used to be, but it's just as silly and random.

Now, my question to you is: who's going to chip in? =P





Footnotes:

1 ^ [Quote of the Day] In my opinion, there's only eight "big" birthdays:

• 10 (double-digits)
• 13 (beginning of teenage years)
• 15/16 (coming of age)
• 18 (legalized adulthood / coming of age)
• 21 (legalized age to booze it up worldwide)
• 25 (U.S. auto insurance perks / legalized car rental age)
• 50 (Half a centenarian!)
• 100 ("Holy [insert expletive here]; I made it this far!?")

2 ^ [Opening Paragraphs] If memory serves me correctly, I think my birth certificate said I was born around... 2200ish. A mere two hours until I couldn't say I was born in the dead center of a month with no major American holiday. If anything, August heralds the impending school year closing in at an astonishingly fast pace. Yay, school. *le sigh*

3 ^ [A Comparison of Then and Now] No, I don't mean the supposedly-overpowered racial ability Humans have. Or maybe I do, because having control of your character can be everything in a PvP scenario. Damn, I need to play on my Rogue again...

4 ^ [Whitey's 21st Birthday Wish List: Vuvuzela] Not even Gandalf could escape the might of the vuvuzela...

5 ^ [Whitey's 21st Birthday Wish List: New Camera] That was then. Now I just want a camera so I can record memories down visually. With pictures. And video. And audio. And awesomeness.

6 ^ [Whitey's 21st Birthday Wish List: High-Capacity MP3 Player] Currently using an iPod Classic 160GB as my MP3 player. Here's the fun part: I'm using WinAmp to sync it with my laptop. Huzzah!

7 ^ [Whitey's 21st Birthday Wish List: Vuvuzela (Part 2)] What is a "vuvuzela drive-by," you ask? Here's how it works:

1. Get a spacious vehicle to drive around in.
2. Throw in a bunch of vuvuzela-armed people who feel like doing this and a driver willing to put up with said vuvuzela-armed people.
3. Drive up to a target's current location (e.g.: work, home, significant other's house).
4. Use protection! Wear earplugs!
5. Blast those vuvuzelas 'til kingdom come (or until someone runs out raging).
6. Drive away as fast as possible, cackling maniacally.
7. Repeat Steps 3 through 6 ad nauseam.

My promise is that whoever arms me with a vuvuzela (or participates with me when I do a vuvuzela drive-by) will forever be immune from any vuvuzela drive-by I plot in the future. The offer still stands, by the way - I mean, I'm still asking for one...

8 ^ [Whitey's 21st Birthday Wish List: Birthday Party] "Psychologically-demoralizing?" Yeah. There's people out there who plotted one of the most evil/amazing nights I'll probably ever have. Most of it was stuff I normally wouldn't do. =O

9 ^ [Whitey's 21st Birthday Wish List: Car Tune-Up] "Wait, Josh: wasn't 'Chari' the name of your Blood Elf Paladin?" Yes. She got her name from my car - also named Chariselle. I've had this name for years, and I have the Facebook entry to prove it. *narrows eyes* Don't you dare steal it from me.

10 ^ [Whitey's 21st Birthday Wish List: OTHER... STUFF...] No, this has NOTHING to do with fruitless and once-hopeless romantic dreams! Nothing of the sort at all! *glances across the room in a panic* ...w-why is everyone staring at me like that!?





So, until the 'morrow, everyone. I bid you adieu as a 21-year-old... and the next time you'll see me, I shall be a year older! *cackles*

Five Ways to Disallow Success

Mind you, today's entry is a bit of self-affirmation and is no way a demotivational entry.
I simply... wish to wish failure... failure. =D





CURRENT MUSIC:
Hideyuki Fukasawa - "Theme of Dudley (SFIV Arrange)"
Super Street Fighter IV Game Music Recording [Fan Soundtrack]

One of my favorite pieces from the Street Fighter series, "Theme of Dudley (SFIV Arrange)" is a piece that works in multiple settings. Obviously it belongs to a fighting game as background music, but it also works as montage music for a trip to a casino and even as actual dance music.


Junichi Nakatsuru - "Reprisal"
Ace Combat 5: The Unsung War Original Soundtrack

As I'm in a jovial mood today, I think I needed something that matched. However, it couldn't be just simple, cheery and lighthearted - since my next day off (and my birthday, no less) is so close, the music had to be something that got me pumped and ready to kick some ass.

Enter "Reprisal" - one of those musical pieces that just make everything more awesome. I swear, if you have this playing in the background while you're doing something - be it an epic military mission to launch counteractive chemical weapons to something more tedious like writing some term paper to something even more mundane like waiting in line at the local Department of Motor Vehicles - it will feel much more epic.





Today is day five, which means I'm now entering the home stretch of this seven day block that I've been counting down for. Well, technically, I'm counting up, but eh.

I'm excited. I'll be celebrating my birfday soon, and yet I have no idea as to how I'll be doing that. Hell, I'm excited over the fact that I'm excited! (Typo on purpose.)

So, why the title? Probably because I don't feel like succumbing to the normalized depression I usually get this time of year. Probably because I'm not going to let work or any negative thing get in my war path to celebration. Probably because I had nothing better to put up. Despite the theories, I know it had to do with the fact that I'm still using the whole numeric metaphor counting sequence. Just wait until day seven when I stop that.

(Yes, there's a "five" reference in the title. THREE of them, actually. Kudos to whoever figures out what all three are.)

So let's see... I have work today, and I have an idea as to what I'll be doing later tonight. (Yes, the answer is "more work."





Will tonight attempt to take away my jovial mood? Probably.

Will it succeed?

No. (English / Spanish)
Hindi. (Tagalog)
Nein. (German)
Nyet. (Russian)
いいえ。 (Japanese - Romaji equivalent: "iie")

So here goes... tonight's adventures await us! Until the 'morrow!

Comic Book Guy Reference

Shortest. Blog entry. EVER.

(Author's Note: I'm strapped for time today. Plus, I needed something that got the "fourth day" message through. Four-worded title and entry. Muahahahaha.)

Echoes of Sanguine Preparations

Before we begin, I just want to say a few things and explain why today's entry is titled like it is.

A decent portion of today's entry focuses on and is inspired partly by my supposed ability of aura-reading, which would be grouped under the umbrella term of "extra-sensory perception." As such, I felt that I should refer to it with the title. Not only does "Echoes of Sanguine Preparations" share the same acronym letters with each other ("ESP"), but it also reflects the energy I picked up.

Anyone with a predilection for elaborate words probably picked up what I meant by now. Of course, that can't possibly be the only thing I'm referring to with the title. (If you already knew that coming in, then good for you!) Look at the two previous entries (specifically: their titles) and notice the numbers. Now ask yourself: how many letters are there in "ESP?"

*raises eyebrow* I'm sneaky like that. Yes, yes. Long (and not boring) dialogue aside, let's start today's entry!





CURRENT MUSIC:
Insert Rupee - "Precious Metals (Goldenrod City)"
Pokémon: The Missingno Tracks [OverClocked Remix Album]

Goldenrod City has been one of my favorite cities to visit in the Pokémon games. It had its own unique theme which ended up being quite catchy in my book. Listening to this piece just brings me back to those ol' days where I raised a team of butt-kicking Pokémon on Silver Version.


Bear McCreary - "Prelude to War"
Battlestar Galactica Season 2 Soundtrack

As the title would suggest, "Prelude to War" is perfect musical piece to accompany any conflict - specifically the opening campaign/mission maneuvers or the preparatory actions to steel oneself for said impending campaign/mission.

I felt that "Prelude to War" fit today's mood. Something's coming, and it's best to be prepared for whatever it is.


Michiru Yamane - "The Tragic Prince"
Dracula X: Nocturne in the Moonlight Original Game Soundtrack

This is one of my favorite pieces from Castlevania: Symphony of the Night's soundtrack. It starts off with a string fanfare before giving way to a rock-oriented sound. It's a shame it only played through a small portion of Dracula's Castle.





Evening, readers. Welcome to today's entry of The White Knight Chronicles. I know, I know - a decent entry out of the blue? And I didn't even warn you about it? WHOA!^[1]





Entering a Sanctimonious Perimeter
(I already lectured you on today's metaphor; don't make me do it again.)

I've mentioned before that I believe I have some sort of extra-sensory perception. Call me crazy or whatever, but I believe I do. Plus, since I'm already crazy eccentric crazy^[2], I can pretty much say anything I want with little to no consequence.

Since last week, I've been picking up negative energy emanating from an unknown source. Originally, I believed that it was originating from my birthday and its relatively close proximity.^[3] So far, that hasn't been the case - I have yet to be dreading my birthday like I used to years ago.

That leaves a few ideas, and while they're rock-solid theories, I can't quite put my finger on any single one as the source of this mystifying negative energy. Let me list the other theories - perhaps if one of you is brave enough, you might contribute to my thought process:


- work
This was one of my opening ideas, but I'm somewhat certain that Target's not the source of this void. Granted, the issue of a severe lack of hours would make it look like the overall morale of the store is going to Hell in a handbasket. That, combined with a string of closing nights that were anything but good, would easily set off a torrent of negativity amongst my fellow team members. Despite this, I don't think this is the source - the energy that radiates from my Target seems to differ from this particular brand of void.

- getting myself "irradiated" from splash damage
Think of an artillery shell making impact in the dead center of a tropical hut. Obviously, anyone inside the shelter would be killed instantly, but that's not what we're focusing on. Every explosion (no matter the source) gives off a shock wave that is potentially as lethal as the explosion it originated from. Going back to the example, this means that if you were standing about five yards away from the hut, you'd not only be exposed to hut shrapnel, but you would be knocked over (or worse) from the explosion. Gamers like myself know this as "splash damage." Similarly, if anyone within my proximity get hit hard with some kind of emotional energy, I get some of the splash. It's possible that I could be getting residue from someone's very bad day, or a plethora of people who just had a bad moment (though not at the same time).

- some unknown source that I'm somehow picking up or am being purposefully targeted by
This was option three. It's entirely possible that I'm reading something I've yet to discover, and if that's the case, it's both exciting and scary.


It could very well be that I'm on the money with one of these ideas, and it could very well be that I'm totally off and walking into a trap of some kind. No matter - I'm not the one broadcasting energy so... pessimistic.





Heroic Triumph over Evil
(Or: me talking about Symphony of the Night after I beat it an hour ago.)

I'll be frank: Castlevania: Symphony of the Night is the only Castlevania game I've played. Despite this, I'm very fond of the game and love it quite so much. Fans of the series and fans of Symphony alike remember it for the fun side-scrolling RPG-esque style of the game. I remember it for the memorable opening dialogue, which (along with some of the other conversations,) have entered gamer culture.


Richter Belmont: Die monster! You don't belong in this world!
Dracula: It was not by my hand that I am once again given flesh. I was called here by humans who wish to pay me tribute.
Richter Belmont: "Tribute?" You steal men's souls and make them your slaves!
Dracula: Perhaps the same could be said of all religions.
Richter Belmont: Your words are as empty as your soul! Mankind ill needs a savior such as you!
Dracula: What is a man!? A miserable little pile of secrets! But enough talk... have at you!


Dracula's last line in particular is a favorite amongst the gamer community.^[4] It makes me want to write a philosophical paper on the question (and his answer), but for now, I'll hold off.





Ideas, Schmideas
(A preview of a preview of things to come...)

I've been cooking up some ideas, and I'm excited to say that most are in the stage where they're about to be served (sparingly) to the community. That means you! Sometime over the next week, one of my entries here will focus on these ideas. Who know what wonders and absurdities I'll be presenting to y'all as time passes?

Maybe I should make sure I'm okay to present all of this.





Footnotes:

1 ^ [Opening Paragraphs] That "WHOA!" sounds like a mock-Keanu Reeves "Whoa!" Kinda like the "Whoa!" everyone muttered when The Matrix first came out.

2 ^ [Entering a Sanctimonious Perimeter] One of my work friends said to me: "You have to be rich in order to be eccentric." While I don't believe in that (I've already been described as eccentric numerous times before now), he did have a bit of a point.

3 ^ [Entering a Sanctimonious Perimeter] Check the entry from three days ago, "Bolshoi Tavieda!" Scroll down to the section "The Seven Day Countdown to... Something" and read on to find out what I meant. No auto-link for you, either - read!

4 ^ [Heroic Triumph over Evil] Take this comic, for instance. Keep Dracula's last line in mind. Ahehehe.





If you're not already sick from the metaphor of three, then look up at the three things I talked about. Oh, WAIIIIT. Okay, I'll stop. No more metaphors of three; I promise. =P

Anyway, as I have a get-together to get to, I'll have to leave you with this for now. Enjoy this entry until the 'morrow!

Two Days, Two Topics

Something doesn't feel right with the city. It could be the auras and energy that the whole population is vibing, or it could be some sort of ominous wind blowing through. At the same time, maybe it's just day two messing with me. I can't really say for certain what it is, but all I know is that it doesn't feel good.

Apart from supposed extra-sensory perception, I have been a tad busy. My friends have gotten into a Castlevania: Harmony of Despair craze, and I wanted to join in. I don't have an XBox 360, however, so I decided to participate in a different way: a new file on the PlayStation epic Castlevania: Symphony of the Night. I told myself I wouldn't be using any outside help this time (last time I did, I had friends guide me and everything, and when they weren't around, GameFAQs filled in the rest), so this'll be an interesting run this time around.

I'd be playing Symphony of the Night some more, but alas, I have work. I must prepare for it, and I must sit there, going "Yay" with a dreary and wary tone. Maybe I'll figure out what this ominous feeling is tomorrow... maybe I won't. Regardless, that's when I'll see y'all 'round. Until the 'morrow!

Another Day One

So I've been playing some old games I had for the majority of the day. I've been enjoying them, and now I'm off to go to work. Today seems to be a good one - it's the start of my seven day countdown until my birthday, and like I explained yesterday, this is also the first time in a long time where I'm actually excited about it.

Which is kind of weird - 22 isn't that big of a milestone birthday number. Maybe something magical will occur during my birthday week. Maybe it'll be just fun or something. Feh, I dunno. I'm betting that it'll be like my usual life: crappy start, sinkhole middle, miraculous awesomeness culminating with a bombastic time at the end.

Time to find out. Day one of seven awaits.

Bolshoi Tavieda!

I just realized that it's a week before my birthday! So, I'm going to be nice to my fans and potential gift-givers alike and give them a pre-birthday treat: a quality entry! Yaaaaay!

And today's title is a Street Fighter reference to everyone's very favorite burly Russian wrestler, Zangief! Roughly translated, it means something like "big victory" (assuming I did my research right), and since this is a big entry, it makes sense to put it in. (Well, it IS bigger than the other entries for the week thus far, so... *shrugs*)

ANYVAY, TO BLOG! TO VICTORY!





CURRENT MUSIC:
Joe Hisaishi - "The Girl Who Fell From the Sky"
Laputa: Castle in the Sky Original Soundtrack

The orchestrated piece played during the opening credits of Laputa: Castle in the Sky. It's one of my favorite Miyazaki films, and... well, if you know me, you know two things are central for me to look at: the story, and the music. Obviously, the music delivered - otherwise I wouldn't have the soundtrack.^[1]

To this day the opening track for Castle in the Sky is one of my favorite pieces to listen to. Something about it just gives off a sense of serenity and adventure... as if some life-changing chronicle is to occur soon.


Koji Kondo - "Super Mario 64 Main Theme"
Super Mario 64 Original Soundtrack

Ahh, good ol' memories of the Nintendo 64. Everyone who's ever touched one of those awesome consoles and played some Super Mario 64 knows this piece - consciously or otherwise. Listening to this makes me want to play this game again. Hee.


Martin O'Donnell & Michael Salvatori - "Farthest Outpost"
Halo 3 Original Soundtrack

"Farthest Outpost" happens to be one of my favorite tracks from Halo 3, and the cutscene it just so happened to be used in (well, the first part, anyway) also happens to be one of my favorite moments. Excellent background music for any kind of military insertion (preferably anything sub-orbital



"We are the music makers / and we are the dreamers of dreams"
- Arthur O'Shaughnessy
(Music and Moonlight - "Ode")

Quite a fantastic quote, if I do say so myself. Quoted many times and usually misattributed to Willy Wonka, it makes for a great inspirational saying.





Good night, everybody! Welcome to today's entry on The White Knight Chronicles!

When I said two days ago that I was going to be posting a quality entry later on this week, I meant it. Here's said quality entry! Prepare to stuff your minds with... well, words! I'd say food, but that's just preposterous.

I mean, honestly... food? How am I supposed to transfer food electronically through the Internet...?





Where Have Ya' Been, Ya' Beautiful Bastard?
(The not-asked-at-all question you all (didn't) want answered.)

As I noted two days ago, I haven't been posting as well as I should have due to a lot of things occurring all over the place. I'm sure I'd bore you with the details, so I'll cut the fat out and give you the meat on why I've been... not here:

- catching up on Burn Notice
My friend has a DVD collection of seasons one through three of the spy-based action/drama series, and after seeing a few episodes I decided to get into the series. As of last night I finished season three, and I'm wondering what's in store for our friend Mister Westen. (No spoilers, please.) Now I need to somehow get my hands on season four (or find someone who has it).

- playing with my Lego collection
Yeah, still doin' it. My childhood doesn't know how to say "no." Besides, I think I'm close to a breakthrough when it comes to a story and comic idea. Yes, I said "comic."

- hanging with friends
It's the tail end of the summer. I might as well have some fun doing that. Between welcoming a friend back to the States after being gone for nearly a year in Japan, brawling in Super Street Fighter IV Arcade Edition^[2], a rather ridiculous game of King's Cup, numerous drinks and discoveries (...Captain Vodka-ade...?) and other zany things, I'd say I've been busy.

- cooking
Because I heart food. That, and I'm always experimenting. It takes time to compose something, rate it and clean up afterwards.

- work
Of course, if I'm not busy doing the above three, then I was probably doing a whole lot of work at work.

- sleep
...or I was sleeping. *clears throat* And now for something completely different!





NYAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!
(Proof I live under a rock sometimes.)

So I just discovered the wonderful absurdity that is the Nyan Cat. I know - it's been out for months now and I'm just learning about its pop-tart-hopping, rainbow-shitting goodness. For those of you who, like me, have been out of tune when it comes to the large world of Internet memes, it's basically... well, I can't describe it.

The "Nyan Cat" - adorably flying through space and teh Internets since April 2 this year.

So in lieu of a description, you'll have to do with the famed GIF of the Nyan Cat. Ain't it adorable?

A brief history lesson for y'all:

On April 2, 2011, Chris Torres (known on the Internet as "PRguitarman") threw this at the world. Not even three days later, a YouTube user by the alias "saraj00n" took "Nyanyanyanyanyanyanya!" (an UTAU song uploaded by Nico Nico Douga user "Momo Momo" in January), slapped the animated GIF as video, and uploaded the very popular YouTube video most Internet users know about these days.

I'm now virtually hooked on this meme - I blame my addictive personality. I don't get how a simple song can be so magical and catchy. Matter-of-fact: half the time I spent composing this entry had the Nyan Cat song playing in the background. I don't know whether that delves into the realm of the awesome... or the realm of the insane.

If I had to guess: a bit of both. =D





The Seven Day Countdown To... Something
(...well, if it's not "Destruction," then what is it?)

I'll be frank with you all: I have a love-hate relationship with my birthday. On one hand, I love how I get to physically say I've matured a tad and that I'm closer to success and all that optimistic mish-mosh people slump on your birthday. On the other, I end up mutating into a volatile mess that resents being a year closer to death and wasting time on nothing.

Well, at least that's what I used to do. (I hope past tense is correct to use here...)

Historically, I've been known to be at a very critical emotional state in the two weeks leading up to my birthday (and a week afterwards, though not so much). I honestly don't know why I hated my birthday so much - maybe it's because I ended up reflecting on the passing 365 days, pondering on what I have done to better myself and those around me. I'm going to have to assume that my self-reflective process did more harm than good, because I carried a sense of dismal dread and apathy for what is normally supposed to be a joyous occasion.

Nowadays... oh, I dunno. Maybe life's not worth being so mopey about all the bloody time - especially during the birthday season. Like I've said numerous times before, I've been getting better emotionally speaking, and it helps that I've only lost it if I've been provoked by something completely stupid. Like... a bad day at work or a trip to the Department of Motor Vehicles or fifteen consecutive defeats in Advance Wars: Days of Ruin or something.

Oh, well. Let's not waste time on something depressing like this (even though it ended on a positive note).





22^nd Ransom Demands
(Otherwise known as: Josh's Birthday Wish List. Shh - don't tell anyone!)

With my birthday being one week plus one day away, I'm a tad excited. It's always been a bit of a tradition for me to just post my birthday and Christmas wish lists so that anyone who's planning on getting me stuff^[3] would have ideas as to what to get me.

I know... I shouldn't sound so self-centered and only out for myself, but... I like stuff! Here's a list of the stuff I'd like love to get as birthday presents! (All bolded things are things I want.)

- money (and LOTS of it)

- LOTS more readers (and hopefully a good amount of new fans, while I'm at it)

- a vuvuzela (preferably green)

- camera (preferably one of those Nikon high-zooms)

- Lego Set 7187: Escape from the Dragon's Prison

- Lego Set 9348: Community Minifigure Set

- anything else you can think of that you think I'd love/enjoy/get a huge kick out of

You may have noticed that everything on this list is bolded. Well... that's because I want EVERYTHING! Hehehe... at least I'm honest about it!





Footnotes:

1 ^ [Current Music] A little déjà vu, perhaps? Go back to the tail end of January and that description may sound a little too familiar. Hey, what can I say? I love Castle in the Sky. I'm just too lazy to come up with new words to worship the Studio Ghibli film. *shrugs*

2 ^ [Where Have Ya' Been, Ya' Beautiful Bastard?] Thanks to Super Street Fighter IV 3D, my overall Street Fighter skill has improved. Amongst my friends, I'm now a pretty formidable Zangief player.

3 ^ [22^nd Ransom Demands] Even if I didn't get stuff, I'd probably be shown a good time by whoever I was hanging out with on my birthday (or any birthday "celebration" my friends throw me. Still, though... stuff's awesome to have. =P





So, I hope this sates some of you for now. I finally took the time to post something - albeit at a late and almost-deadline-breaking time.

So until the 'morrow, everyone! And remember: "Russian wrestling is always number one!" *flexes*

Fun

When it comes down to it, all I want to do is just enjoy myself and have fun doing whatever I'm doing. Be it work, play, sleep, or whatever... it's gotta be fun and awesome, or else it won't be entertaining or fun for me.

As I said yesterday, I'd be posting one or two quality entries this week. Obviously, today's not that day - work and... well... work follow this entry.

It was an interesting weekend, to say the least... maybe I'll talk about it in detail tomorrow.

=D

I know, I know... I haven't been posting as... well, let's just say "well" as I should have. I've been busy having too much fun with this here weekend off, which might explain the time aspect on why I haven't been throwing quality entries your way, but hey - this has been a good month for me thus far.

I know sometime this week I'll make up for it with a quality entry (maybe even two!), but for now, you'll just have to keep bearing with this stuff.

Yes, I'm doing fine. =D (See? The smiley emoticon means I'm happy. Heh.)

I'll catch y'all later.

Alcoholic Panic

So this is an interesting night. I'm officially enacting my job as "designated driver" tonight. Whoo.

Info tomorrow... if I can remember any of this...

White Knight Live: Round Table Pizza

Getting all-you-can-eat pizza with a bunch of friends is always a treat in itself. Between the fun conversations and the numerous garlic cheese twists, I can't tell if today has any chance of being bad at all.

Of course, that may change due to work and it being a royal pain-in-the-ass at the moment.

*noms on a pizza slice*

Well, for now, this mass of pizza will keep me sated. So will my friends. So, until the 'morrow, everyone!

Short and Not-So-Sweet

I know, I know... this is a rather short entry today. I blame my procrastination, but I also blame my awesome brunch (cooked up another breakfast bagel crumble today) and the fact that I was fishing through my Lego collection to find pieces for a second infantry mortar.

If anything, I consider this a day well spent. Now I'm off to go to work, which as of late has not been the most accommodating in terms of keeping me fully sane. For the sake of keeping myself happy - and the bigger sake of making sure what little I've said doesn't get misinterpreted as libel - I'll just take my shower and go.

Ciao.

Breakfast Bagel Crumble

Ahh, Wednesday. A fine day of the week if I do say so myself. Let us bask in this particular "hump day" by looking at something elaborate and refined: cooking. Quite jolly fun this entry will be today, chaps.^[1]

*sips tea and dons a monocle*

A Break in the Action

I've been having a lot of fun with all my friends the past few days. It feels good, because most of my days for the past few weeks looked had the basic layout:

• work / personal projects worked on in isolation
• virtually no contact with the outside world
• posting a blog entry here
• sleep

I haven't done any of this in a while. Video games, inebriation (still only getting tipsy; someone remind me to post on this), movies, jokes, lots of food, even more fun times... almost like my old days from a few years ago.

As can be noted, today's entry's quality is somewhat... lacking due to all of that. I'm sure I'll post something tomorrow that makes up for all of that, but for now... fun awaits!

Fatigued Augustian Welcome

With yesterday's entry, that means only one thing: July is over. Seven months down, five to go, and thus far, all deadlines have been met on time. Let's celebrate the start of August with a well-to-do entry that I'm sure you'll like! (At least I'm sure you'll like it.)





CURRENT MUSIC:
Joe Hisaishi - "On a Clear Day..."
Kiki's Delivery Service Original Soundtrack

Quite a calming piece from this rather elegant soundtrack. Kiki's Delivery Service will hold a permanent place in my memory as the first Studio Ghibli film I ever saw, and the music will share a similar experience. The music in this movie was fantastic and flowed with a sense of carefree adventure that lulled me into watching the movie.


Incubus - "Megalomaniac"
A Crow Left of the Murder...

A long time ago I explained how Incubus was one of the bands responsible for getting me from liking "just techno and video game music only" to "just about anything that can be called 'music' these days." As "Megalomaniac" was the opening track of the album, I encountered it a lot whilst playing Counter-Strike on my cousin's XBox.

Like I said before, I initially responded almost hostilely to this sudden introduction of music and then gradually warmed up to the idea. Good thing, too - that opening part with the "static" that played (along with the rest of the song) made excellent "opening fight sequence" music material.

Works well - assuming I wasn't picked off by a sniper early in the round. *shrugs* Nobody's perfect.


Shouji Meguro - "Iwato Dormitory"
Persona 3 Original Soundtrack

One of the more relaxed ambient themes of the famed Atlus RPG game, "Iwato Dormitory" plays in the resting areas of the game - specifically, the dormitory where the player resides in. It's relaxing and has a jazz-like sound to it, and that's perfectly fine with me.



"Never stop writing because you have run out of ideas. Fill the lacunae of inspiration by tidily copying out what is already written."
- Walter Benjamin

As an artist, it's quite common to run into some kind of mental drought when it comes to ideas. When this happens, I recommend revisiting old work - completed, backburned, scrapped or otherwise. Sometimes a chance encounter occurs where a past idea ends up triggering a thought process that begins to improve upon both the idea in question and the thoughts themselves.

In short: sometimes the old helps chart the way for the new to expand. That's the meaning I got from Walter Benjamin's quote here, and I have to say that it can be reworked so that any artist can replace "writing" and "written" with appropriate verbs for their artistic field(s)




Welcome, one and all. Today marks seven months in a row that I've posted a blog entry here on a daily basis, and this entry also serves as the first of the eighth month, August.

So let's hop to it and get this first entry up and going! I'm sure a lot of you are wondering what textual adventures await you and the others who read this. Well, allow me to show you!

*shines spotlight on today's entry*





Finishing the Burger Experiment
(Because someone had to make sure that Double-Double didn't spoil...)

(Author's Note: This section was typed up roughly after 0010, when I finished the second Double-Double.)

As I waited for the clock to strike midnight and switch over from Sunday to Monday, my stomach began to growl. I'm going to be honest - I ended up eating part of the burger a minute or two before midnight. Hey, I was hungry and work was killer. It happens, and I needed energy in the form of a delicious fast food burger. So when the clock struck 0001, I took a bite of the remaining half of Double-Double #2 and found myself exposed to a higher concentration of deliciousness that I had not expected to encounter.

The Verdict:
Double-Double #2 indeed tasted better than Double-Double #1. Though I'm not quite sure if it's due to already-registered belief in the "food tastes better after midnight" theory, the fact that two duplicate burgers tasted oh-so-differently to me kind of has a profound effect.





Drinking With the Dolphins *hic*
(A case on why sleep deprivation mixed with alcohol can be bad...ly funny.)

I've always been one to perform an all-nighter for whatever reason. From school projects to writing muses that just keep inspiring me to write to a marathon of some random TV show or movie series that I just happened to want to watch... it could be anything.

Now, as explained the night before, I decided to pull an all-nighter because I figured that falling asleep at around 0330ish and waking up barely three hours later would be severely pointless. From research and first-hand experience I found that it's worse to operate with under three hours of sleep than it is to just go through the night without sleeping.

Between yesterday and working at Target and today and having to endure a road trip to Los Angeles and back (amongst other things), I've had a grand total of one hour of sleep - distributed amongst one thirty minute nap to LAX, one ten minute nap back home, and the last twenty minutes dispersed amongst numerous bouts of microsleep. As if that weren't enough, I'm adding alcohol to the mix. Thus far I've had a screwdriver, some vodka juice and a bottle of Guiness.

Surprisingly, though, I feel almost fine - kind of as if I've been perpetually stuck at 0230ish, where I have enough energy to press on but enough fatigue to feel like calling it a night. *checks watch* And as it's nowhere near midnight, I can't shut down. I will press on to celebrate my friend's safe arrival from Japan to the United States. Wai~!





Wallets, Old and New
(But does the old have to be replaced by the new...?)

So today as we were at Los Angeles, my friends and I decided to drop by Little Tokyo to browse for some things. Good thing, too - my wallet's slowly beginning to become torn and frayed.

My current wallet as of late 2008 through Summer 2011.
Good ol' The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya.

I got this wallet back at Pacific Media Expo 2008 - my first year working as Security in my very first convention experience. For nearly three years it's been in service with me through thick and thin, keeping my plastic cards, paper bills, random trinkets and other shenanigans safe.

Unfortunately, nothing lasts forever.

While it's served me well, the only problem it's had recently was with my wallet chain getting snagged onto things (most notably the driver seat of my car) and pulling on the Haruhi wallet's chain loop. With enough force, it either snaps the chain in half (fixable, yet takes time) or creates tension on the chain loop, which leads to the situation I have now with the broken chain loop.

Insert The Legend of Zelda "item obtained" music here.

I ended up procuring this wallet at a shop, and have deemed it to be my Haruhi wallet's successor. It's cool-looking, has a reinforced chain loop (much stronger than my current wallet's) and has something on the design that I support.

However, that's not to say that I'm going to retire the Haruhi wallet right away. It still has plenty of usability, but this new Zelda wallet does have its obvious perks (a stronger wallet chain and a reinforced chain loop). Maybe I'll alternate. Maybe I'll even use both at once. o.O





All I know is this:

• I'm somewhat tipsy.
• This month's gonna be epic.
• I'm a tad rusty on Mario Kart Wii. That, or it could be the alcohol.

So, until the 'morrow, everyone! Have fun with what's left of your Monday!